David Byrne’s Meltdown

Monday 17 August 2015 - Sunday 30 August 2015

David Byrne, the Oscar, Golden Globe, Obie and Drama Desk award-winning musician known for his eclectic collaborations, and as co-founder of seminal new wave band Talking Heads, curates the 22nd Meltdown.

Byrne follows in the footsteps of previous directors that include Jarvis Cocker, Patti Smith, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Ray Davies and Ornette Coleman.

'I am beyond excited at how much of this has fallen into place. It’s quite eclectic and I hope there are some new discoveries for everyone – including me – in this edition of the festival.' (David Byrne)

As well as being the creative force behind Talking Heads, Byrne has forged a hugely successful solo career featuring eight albums that showcase his reputation for constant reinvention. His collaborators span the spectrum of popular music and include Brian Eno, St. Vincent, Morcheeba, Fatboy Slim, Paul Simon, Thievery Corporation, Arcade Fire and Anna Calvi.

As well as being a multi-instrumentalist and composer, Byrne is a photographer, actor, artist and author – most recently penning his autobiographical explanation of musical form How Music Works. The festival marks Byrne's return to the South Bank – his award-winning musical Here Lies Love had a successful limited run at the National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre from September 2014.